Sunday, July 09, 2006

You work for an eccentric perfumer. What’s Christopher Brosius like?He’s synesthetic; his senses are combined. He’ll smell something and say, “This looks very pearly and it’s gray.”

Why does he hate perfume? In his manifesto, he laments that perfume is defined by packaging. It should be more intimate. If people can smell you from ten feet away, that’s like running through the streets screaming.

What are the most popular single notes?“Russian Leather,” tobaccos, and “Forest Floor,” which smells like dirt. My favorite customer wanted a scent inspired by Miss Havisham in Great Expectations—the one with the rotting feast in her living room.

This is a place I have never visited. I think it would take several hours and a pair of comfortable shoes. The ones I want to try:1. At the beach 1966: I am a sucker for a beach scent. Love the smell of suntail oils.2. Winter 1972: It is said that it smells like snow. The question is: Does it smell like fresh fallen Ohio snow?3. Violet Empire: I am a late bloomer when it comes to violets.4. Tea/Rose: I dream that this like my beloved Tak Rose tea.5. Russian Caravan Tea: According to his site it is "smoked black Indian tea, bergamot and the hint of shelves full of old books".6. In the Library: He describes it as "English Novel taken from a Signed First Edition of one of my very favorite novels, Russian & Moroccan leather bindings, worn cloth and a hint of wood polish". He also mentions that there is a touch of mildew.7. Just Breathe: Notes are Bamboo Leaves, Japanese Green Tea, three varieties of Cedarwood and a hint of Incense.